dainty

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈdeɪnti/ UK /ˈdeɪnti/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
delicately small and pretty; fastidious; (noun) a choice morsel

She lifted the dainty teacup with the tips of her fingers.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · delicately small and... delicate exquisite finepetitegraceful fastidious

Opposites

coarse clumsy crude gross

Word family

Forms daintilydaintiness

Derived forms daintilydaintiness

Related forms dignity deign

Simplified etymology

Dainty comes through the earlier form daintith from Latin dignus, “worthy.” In Middle English it could denote “honour” or “worth” and describe something valuable, fine, or excellent; by late Middle English it had developed the senses “pleasing to taste” and “delicately pretty.”

Etymology

From Middle English deinte ('delight, excellence'), from Old French daintie, from Latin dignitas ('worth, dignity'), from dignus ('worthy').

daintie Old French dignitas Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# dainty

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈdeɪnti/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈdeɪnti/

## Meanings
1. delicately small and pretty; fastidious; (noun) a choice morsel

## Examples
- She lifted the dainty teacup with the tips of her fingers.

## Synonyms
- delicate
- exquisite
- fine
- petite
- graceful
- fastidious

## Antonyms
- coarse
- clumsy
- crude
- gross

## Derived Forms
- daintily
- daintiness

## Related Forms
- dignity
- deign

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: daintie
- Root: dignitas

## Etymology
From Middle English deinte ('delight, excellence'), from Old French daintie, from Latin dignitas ('worth, dignity'), from dignus ('worthy').

## AI Etymology
Dainty is from Middle English deinte ('delight, excellence'), from Old French daintie, from Latin dignitas ('worth, dignity'), from dignus ('worthy'). In present-day use, it means delicately small and pretty; fastidious; (noun) a choice morsel. Derived formations include daintily and daintiness. Related vocabulary includes dignity and deign.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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